Lots of End of Summer News!

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Hello Friends of Hillside Farm!

The air is cooling, the days are shortening, and things are changing on the farm! We are moving into a bountiful cider season, gearing up for winter, and soon we’ll process our last batch of chickens!

Last Chance to Get Fresh Chicken!

Due to our amazing customers, we have sold out for next week’s processing day, so we have opened up our last processing day on September 16th to Customer Pick Ups! That day, and the following Saturday at Montpelier Farmers Market, will be the last chance to get fresh chicken! After that, frozen chicken (all processed this summer and delicious!) will be available at Farmers Markets and at the farm by appointment. Go to our Order page to put in your order!

Apples!

We have Apple Cider! This is an exciting time of year for us, especially as we’ve watched the bumper crop of apples develop on the trees! Our cider is currently available at Craftsbury General Store and from us at Montpelier Farmers Market and by appointment at the farm, but will soon be available in many more stores in the area! If you want your local store to carry our classic Apple Cider, Apple-Beet Cider, or our Apple-Blackberry Cider, ask them to order through Green Mountain Farm Direct!

Apple Pressing Services!

Have too many apples to know what to do with? Want cider from your own trees? The incredible apple year has every backyard tree loaded. If you would like to have cider from your neighborhood trees, we are now offering apple pressing!

  • $30 for full press of apples, which takes approximately 4.5-5 bushels of apples, and produces 12-15 gallons of cider.

  • $50 for a full press, pasteurized or canned (canning will provide you with cider all year long!)

  • No Drop Apples. We work hard to keep our equipment clean, if you want to go home with raw cider, we ask you to gather by picking, or shaking onto tarps, not collecting from the ground!

  • Must provide your own containers. Plastic bottles can be purchased at a small cost, but 1/2 gallon canning jars, or growlers with seal-able lids are required for canning.

  • We expect customers to participant in the whole process. Bring the whole family for a fun couple hours of filling your shelves with your own apple cider!

The best cider comes from a diverse collection of apples, so get out there and gather from that loaded roadside tree down the street, just be sure to ask landowners beforehand! Or better yet, gather a group of neighbors together to do a whole day of pressing, we can as many as 25 gallons (2 press loads) at a time.

To schedule a cider pressing date with Bill and Hannah, or to inquire further about the service, please email Hannah at hillsidefarmvt@gmail.com

Turkeys!

The turkeys have arrived and are growing quickly already. You can order your Thanksgiving turkey by going to our Order page: Here! If you order 3+ birds, you will receive $5 off per bird! Who says Turkey is just for Thanksgiving!?

COMING SOON: Pullets!

Did you know it can take 4-6 months for a hen to begin laying after it hatches? Having fresh eggs from your adored backyard chickens is an incredible joy for the entire family, but finding young productive hens locally can be a challenge. We are excited to raise a diverse group of birds through the winter to be ready in early spring. They are fed with GMO-free grain, stored local veggies, and a lot of love. We plan to raise Black Star, Black Australorp, White Leghorns, Ameraucana, and Barred Rock breeds. The price will be $15-20 per bird, with additional discounts for large orders, and they will be available in early to mid March. Though this feels like a long way out, we must order our chicks soon. Plus, it gives you time to get that coop built before the snow falls! Please fill out this form to express your interest.

This form does not commit you to an order, Hannah will reach out to confirm your order by November 1st. Payment will not be required until pickup, unless you order 10+ birds, for which a 50% down payment will be required November 8th.

Stay tuned for more details soon. Breeds, prices, and dates are subject to change, but will be solidified by October 1st! The more information we receive from those interested, the better!